1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains generally to packing materials and, more particularly, to a system, method and material for making pneumatically filled packing cushions.
2. Related Art
Air filled pillows or cushions are currently used as a packing material and void filler in shipping cartons and the like. Such cushions typically have of two layers of plastic film material which are sealed together to form chambers that are filled with air. The cushions are usually made in continuous strings, with perforations between successive ones of the cushions for tearing them apart.
In order to reduce the amount of space required for shipment and storage, these air filled cushions are generally made at or near the point of use. Forming the perforations and seals and filling the cushions requires relatively complicated and expensive machines, and also requires a packer or shipper to undertake a more substantial manufacturing operation than he may want to.
Heretofore, there have been some attempts to reduce the complexity and cost of the machine which the packer or shipper must have by forming the perforations and some of the seals in the film material before it is shipped to him. Examples of such prefabricated materials are found in Ser. No. 09/488,621, filed Jan. 20, 2000. While those materials do permit simpler and less expensive machines to be used, there are still problems of getting the air into the cushions and getting the material sealed without losing the air so that the cushions will be inflated in a uniform and controllable manner.